Shipping from China to Karachi
China โ Karachi ยท via KHI air / Karachi sea ยท clearance by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue)
Freight from China into Karachi clears through KHI air / Karachi sea. Karachi is the port city handling most national import volume, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
On the destination side, Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) handles clearance; budget 5โ12 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What you will pay on arrival in Pakistan
Imports into Pakistan are cleared by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue). The headline position is: Sales tax 18%; customs duty 3โ20% plus additional customs duty and regulatory duty on many consumer lines; withholding income tax on imports. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: PSQCA standards mark for regulated goods; import against a bank contract or letter of credit for most commercial cargo. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Pakistan: Import payment normally has to route through a bank contract or LC, which constrains DDP structures. Regulatory duty and additional customs duty are revised frequently. Used goods and many consumer categories face import bans or heavy surcharges.
Routing and transit on this lane
Karachi handles the overwhelming majority of Pakistan's sea volume, with Port Qasim as the second option. The ChinaโPakistan FTA phase II gives meaningful duty relief on a long list of tariff lines, but only against a properly issued certificate of origin. Regulatory duty on consumer goods changes with each federal budget, so verify the current rate rather than reusing last year's landed-cost model.
| Air gateways used | KHI (Karachi), LHE (Lahore), ISB (Islamabad) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Karachi (KICT/QICT), Port Qasim, Gwadar |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 14โ22 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Karachi | KHI air / Karachi sea |
| Inland leg to Karachi | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5โ12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Before you book: Karachi checklist
- Confirm the consignee in Karachi can act as importer of record โ Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (LรWรH รท 6000) โ the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during SepโNov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: PSQCA standards mark for regulated goods; import against a bank contract or letter of credit for most commercial cargo.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Pakistan duty rate against it yourself.
Air, sea or overland into Karachi?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 3โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 14โ22 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Pakistan gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Karachi and 5โ12 days of clearance.
Mode guides for Karachi
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Karachi take?
China to the Pakistan gateway is 3โ6 business days by air, 14โ22 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 5โ12 days of clearance with Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) and a same-day inland leg to Karachi.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Karachi?
Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) applies: Sales tax 18%; customs duty 3โ20% plus additional customs duty and regulatory duty on many consumer lines; withholding income tax on imports. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Karachi.
What certification do I need for Pakistan?
For regulated goods, plan for: PSQCA standards mark for regulated goods; import against a bank contract or letter of credit for most commercial cargo. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
When is the busiest time on the ChinaโPakistan lane?
Space and rates tighten around SepโNov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Which port or airport does cargo for Karachi clear through?
Cargo for Karachi is routed via KHI air / Karachi sea. Sea gateways for Pakistan are Karachi (KICT/QICT), Port Qasim, Gwadar; air gateways are KHI (Karachi), LHE (Lahore), ISB (Islamabad). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Karachi?
Per kilo, yes โ usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 14โ22 calendar days by sea versus 3โ6 business days by air to the Pakistan gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Other delivery cities in Pakistan
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Pakistan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) or your broker before you ship.
- Pakistan Customs โ Federal Board of Revenue
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IMO โ IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Pressure Vessels Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Switchgear New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Doors & Windows Building Materials & Construction Products
Checking the Pakistan duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Pakistan Customs (Federal Board of Revenue) against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
For a wider view of how importing into Pakistan actually works โ documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments โ the U.S. ITA guide to Pakistan customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Karachi. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
How to Calculate CBM in Shipping | Volume vs Weight Explained | CBM Formula & Freight Cost Guide — 10 Min For Supply Chain. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Pakistan
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Pakistan clearance requirements →